1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data acquisition (DAQ) systems, and more particularly to a configuration manager for configuring a data acquisition system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scientists and engineers often use DAQ systems to perform a variety of functions, including laboratory research, process monitoring and control, data logging, analytical chemistry, test and analysis of physical phenomena, and control of mechanical or electrical machinery, to name a few examples. A DAQ system typically includes transducers and other detecting means for providing xe2x80x9cfieldxe2x80x9d electrical signals representing a process, physical phenomena, equipment being monitored or measured, etc. For example, detectors and/or sensors are used to sense the on/off state of power circuits, proximity switches, push-button switches, thermostats, relays or even the presence of positive or negative digital logic-level signals.
A typical DAQ system comprises a computer system with DAQ hardware, wherein the DAQ hardware is typically plugged into one of the I/O slots of the computer system. The field signals are provided to the DAQ hardware. In another common DAQ system configuration, the DAQ hardware is coupled to the computer system via other means such as through a VXI (VME eXtensions for Instrumentation) bus, a GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus), a serial port, or parallel port of the computer system. Optionally, the DAQ hardware includes signal conditioning modules which receive the field signals and condition the signals to be acquired.
The DAQ hardware is configured and controlled by DAQ software executing on the computer system. The DAQ software for configuring and controlling the DAQ system typically comprises two portions: the device interface or driver level software and the application software, or the application. The device interface software serves to interface the DAQ hardware to the application. The device interface software is typically supplied by the manufacturer of the DAQ hardware or by some other third party software vendor. The application is typically developed by the user of the DAQ system and is tailored to the particular function which the user intends the DAQ system to perform. The DAQ hardware manufacturer or third party software vendor sometimes supplies the application software for applications which are common, generic or straightforward.
Data acquisition devices, such as DAQ interface cards, as well as DAQ driver level software, can have various types of parameters or attributes. In the present disclosure, the terms xe2x80x9cparametersxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cattributesxe2x80x9d are used interchangeably. In other words, a DAQ interface card can be configured in various ways. Common examples of DAQ hardware attributes and/or attributes of the software controlling the DAQ hardware are the range of input values (voltages, currents, etc.) which the DAQ hardware will acquire; the manner of coupling the DAQ hardware to the field signals (e.g., DC or AC); the input mode of the acquired signals (e.g., differential or single-ended); various acquisition trigger related attributes such as trigger mode, trigger source, trigger action, trigger level, etc.; attributes relating to acquisition clocks; the size of the buffer for receiving the acquired data; and the engineering units associated with the values of the acquired data.
In many DAQ systems, the user can also create and store a desired configuration of a DAQ system, such as the DAQ devices present in the system as well as desired hardware and software settings.
In order to efficiently operate a DAQ system, a user and/or user application is often required to determine the capabilities of a DAQ hardware product, change the value of a configuration parameter, obtain the current value of a configuration parameter, and check the validity of current configuration settings. It is also often desirable for a user and/or user application to store and retrieve desired configuration settings. Further, it would be desirable for a user to be able to transparently use new or newly supported capabilities of a DAQ device.
Therefore, an improved DAQ system and method is desired for managing access to DAQ system configuration information, including hardware settings and stored configuration files, as well as for providing access to capabilities of DAQ objects.
The present invention provides a data acquisition system comprising a Configuration Manager for intelligently managing access to DAQ configuration information. Broadly speaking, the data acquisition system comprises a computer system coupled to a data acquisition device, a data acquisition application (user application) executing on the computer system, and driver level or device interface software executing on the computer system which enables the data acquisition application to perform steps to control the data acquisition device.
The nonvolatile memory of the computer system stores a hardware database which includes information on DAQ objects in the DAQ system, and the nonvolatile memory also stores configuration files which comprise desired configurations of the DAQ system. The Configuration Manager of the present invention also executes in the computer system to control access to the hardware database and configuration files stored in the computer system. The system also includes a configuration utility which is executable to create a configuration file.
The DAQ user application interfaces through the Configuration Manager to obtain default configuration settings, capabilities and other configuration information. The Configuration Manager interfaces through a persistent storage manager to the hardware database, wherein the hardware database stores default settings of DAQ devices or DAQ objects. The persistent storage manager also provides access to user configuration files which store desired user configurations of the DAQ system. The Configuration Manager also interfaces to a system settings manager to obtain system settings information, i.e., information which configures communication between the computer system and the DAQ device. The Configuration Manager thus controls access to the hardware database, the configuration files and system settings.
The present invention also includes a method for providing access to information on data acquisition (DAQ) objects in the DAQ system. When a user application requests configuration information on one or more DAQ objects, the Configuration Manager executing in the computer system receives the request and determines if the requested information or parameters resides in the system memory. In general, default settings of DAQ objects are persistently stored in the hardware database, and modified parameter values are stored in the system memory. The Configuration Manager accesses the configuration information from the system memory if the configuration information comprises modified parameter values stored in the memory. The Configuration Manager otherwise accesses the configuration information from the hardware database, e.g., if the configuration information comprises default parameter values or other information stored in the hardware database. If the requested configuration information comprises system settings, the Configuration Manager communicates with a system settings manager to access the requested system settings.
The present invention also includes a method for providing access to new or newly supported information on data acquisition (DAQ) objects in a DAQ system. In this method, it is presumed that the user and/or a user application first creates a configuration file which specifics a configuration of the DAQ system. The configuration file is created using the first hardware database which does not include the new or newly supported information. The configuration file may include settings, i.e., specified parameter values, for one or more DAQ objects.
After the time that the configuration file is created, a company which developed a DAQ object used in the system may decide to provide software support for additional features in the DAQ object by updating the hardware database. For example, if the DAQ object is a DAQ interface card, and the company decides to provide software support for certain previously unsupported features or capabilities, the company would update the hardware database with these additional unsupported features or capabilities. Alternatively, the company may offer a new DAQ object, such as a new DAQ interface card, which includes new features or capabilities.
When the user of the DAQ system receives an updated database, the user installs the updated hardware database in the computer system. Thus the updated hardware database is installed after one or more configuration files were created using the first hardware database. The updated hardware database includes information regarding additional or newly supported capabilities of the DAQ object, e.g., includes one or more additional parameters for the DAQ object.
When the previously created configuration file is used, the configuration file automatically accesses the additional capabilities of the DAQ object from the installed updated hardware database, i.e., the configuration file obtains information on the additional capabilities of the DAQ object from the updated hardware database. The configuration file preferably automatically accesses the additional capabilities of the DAQ object utilizing the services of the Configuration Manager. It is noted that the configuration file is not required to be modified in order to automatically access the additional capabilities of the DAQ object. Thus the new capabilities are accessed transparently to the user and/or the user application.